Lionel Conacher
Lionel Conacher skating on the ice in a Chicago Black Hawks uniform.
Date:1933
Collection:Courtesy of the family of Lionel Conacher.
Feature Story
Lionel Conacher, was born in Toronto, Ontario on May 24, 1900. He enjoyed a career of excellence in multiple sports that spanned twenty five years. From his first organized football experience, as a 12-year-old in Toronto, until he retired from the National Hockey League after a 12-year career, Conacher dominated his field(s). Seasons were shorter back then, with less overlap, and for a three-year stretch in the early 1930s, he played four professional sports at the same time, namely hockey, football, lacrosse and wrestling. Early on, he also had played pro baseball and boxed well enough to become Canada’s light-heavyweight champion. He was named Canada’s greatest football player of the period until 1950, was named to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the Hockey Hall of Fame, the Lacrosse Hall of Fame and, of course, Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame. When he left the NHL he went straight into politics, serving six years as an Ontario MPP while acting as commissioner of the Ontario Athletics Commission, helping clean up corruption in boxing. In 1949 he was elected to the House of Commons and it was during that time he died of a heart attack, two days after his 54th birthday, having just stretched a double into a triple in a Parliament Hill softball game against the press gallery.
Lionel Conacher in mid-kick during a football game.
Date: 1920’s
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
A lacrosse stick used by Lionel Conacher.
Date: 1922-1937
Collection: Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
Lionel Conacher's New York Americans Hockey team jacket.
Date: 1927-1930
Collection: Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame
A drawing of Lionel Conacher participating in different sports.
Date: Unknown
Collection: Courtesy of the family of Lionel Conacher.
Lionel Conacher on a football field wearing the Toronto Crosse and Blackwell Chefs team uniform.
Date: 1934
Collection: Courtesy of the family of Lionel Conacher.
Lionel Conacher (left) and his brother hunting.
Date: 1940's
Collection: Courtesy of the family of Lionel Conacher.
Portrait of Lionel Conacher
Date: 1940's
Collection: Courtesy of the family of Lionel Conacher.
Montreal Maroons hockey team photo, autographed by the players.
Date: 1934-1935
Collection: Courtesy of the family of Lionel Conacher.
Lionel Conacher with his hunting dog.
Date: 1940's
Collection: Courtesy of the family of Lionel Conacher.
Aura Lee Club flag.
Date: 1920’s
Collection: Canada's Sports Hall of Fame
